Update: AT&T has responded to the release of the FCC’s report on their merger application, and they’re really not too happy about it. Their view is that the report was just a draft and furthermore, they never got to see it first. [More]
t-mobile
AT&T Pulls FCC Application For T-Mobile Merger
By 11.24.11
Two days after the FCC announced it intends to hold a rare administrative hearing on AT&T’s proposed purchase of T-Mobile USA, the folks at the Death Star have decided to pull their merger application to the regulator, at least until the end of its legal battle with the Dept. of Justice. [More]
FCC To Add Yet Another Speed Bump To AT&T/T-Mobile Deal
By 11.22.11
While we all wait for the legal fireworks that are sure to come from the Justice Department’s lawsuit to stop the AT&T purchase of T-Mobile, the folks at the Federal Communications Commission are reportedly looking to hold an administrative hearing on the deal, which could make things even more difficult for the merger. [More]
Call T-Mobile Customer Service And Reality Will Shift Beneath Your Feet
By 11.16.11
At what point is a company responsible for the things that its customer service reps tell customers? Gus got a new T-Mobile smartphone on an unlimited plan, then took a job in the oil industry that requires him to travel out of the country frequently. While he could have a company phone, he’s still under contract. He chose to keep his T-Mobile plan with a company subsidy, and not pay an early termination fee. When he called T-Mobile to find out how much roaming in Colombia would cost with his plan, the startling answer was that he wouldn’t have to pay any roaming fees at all. He quadruple-checked this with the customer service rep, who confirmed it. But he should have just hung up and broken through the walls of reality to reach another rep, who would have told him something entirely different. [More]
T-Mobile Ad Accidentally Appeals To Our Prurient Interests
By 11.14.11
One aim of an ad is to get you to remember the product, right? If so, T-Mobile accidentally did an excellent job of making sure their “Walking in a 4G Wonderland” TV spot sticks in your brain. Mostly because it sounds like something super sexy. [More]
Why Doesn't T-Mobile's Phone Blocking Feature Make Any Sense?
By 11.4.11
Michael’s daughter has a phone on the family plan, and he’d like to do something to it that seems simple enough. He wants to block her phone from all use during school hours, except for the numbers she would need in an emergency. Except the system doesn’t work that way. For some reason that no one understands, phones can only be disabled in certain blocks, and during certain times the main account holder can’t limit the phone’s use at all. Some of these times happen to conveniently fall during the hours when Michael’s daughter is at school. He’s not the only one with this problem. [More]
I Want A Smartphone That Doesn't Sneak Off To Slorp Data In The Wee Hours
By 11.3.11
The point of having a smartphone that can use wi-fi networks is so the device uses less data, right? Especially at night, when you’re at home snoozing, enveloped in the comforting waves of your home Internet connection. Yet Anthony’s phone and his father’s phone sneak off, accessing the mobile data network in the wee hours of the morning and pushing them over the limits of their T-Mobile data plan. They could just turn the phones off at night, but this is far from their only problem with these phones. Far. But T-Mobile won’t let them have different, functional phones or cut them loose. [More]
Consumers Union To Wireless Providers: Don't Wait To Implement "Bill Shock" Alerts
By 11.2.11
A couple weeks ago, details were announced about the Wireless Consumer Usage Notification Guidelines, which give wireless providers one year to roll out a system that lets customers know when they are nearing or over their allotted data, text, voice or international roaming limits. But our cohorts at Consumers Union are urging these companies to not wait until the last minute. [More]
AT&T Tries To Boot Sprint Suit From T-Mobile Hearing
By 10.24.11
Today AT&T is going to ask the Federal judge to toss out Sprint’s lawsuit seeking to stop it from buying up T-Mobile. [More]
T-Mobile Customer Runs Up $201,000 Phone Bill
By 10.18.11
A woman in Florida recently bought her brother a phone and put him on her plan. But little did she know that her brother’s two-week trip to Canada would result in a 43-page bill for more than $201,000. [More]
T-Mobile Can't Cut Prices Because That Would Prove They Are Competing With AT&T
By 10.7.11
Last spring when the first Senate hearings were held regarding AT&T’s pending purchase of T-Mobile USA, the folks at the Death Star repeatedly stated that they weren’t trying to eliminate competition because they don’t view the much smaller T-Mobile as competition. Unfortunately for T-Mobile, having to keep up that charade while AT&T fights the Justice Dept.’s attempt to block the deal could result in the loss of millions of customers. [More]
T-Mobile & Walmart Announce No-Contract 4G Access For $30
By 10.3.11
While T-Mobile waits to see if AT&T can convince the justice system that the two companies should be allowed to merge, the smaller wireless provider has made a deal that could help it gain needed customers in case that deal falls through. Today, T-Mobile announced that it will offer a $30/month pre-paid plan exclusively through Walmart that will provide users with “unlimited” 4G data and texting. [More]
T-Mobile Charges $5 For Every Failed Call From Cruise Ship
By 9.29.11
Kayla left her phone off and safely stowed away during her Caribbean cruise, where it couldn’t run up roaming charges high enough to ruin any vacation. When she learned that there had been a minor earthquake and a hurricane back home, she decided to eat the roaming charges and pay the high per-minute prices to check in with her loved ones. Everyone else on the ship evidently had the same idea, and it was difficult to get a call through. When her bill came, Kayla learned the hard way that T-Mobile, at least, imposes that $4.99 per minute roaming charge on calls that don’t complete. [More]
Secret Memo Reveals Which Cellphone Carriers Store Your Data The Longest
By 9.28.11
How long does your cellphone company keep logs of your text messages? Of the words you wrote? Of the calls you made? A Freedom of Information Act request by the American Civil Liberties Union of North Carolina unearthed a Department of Justice document that breaks down the retention periods for each mobile provider. [More]
T-Mobile Exec: Over 1 Million Customers Using Unlocked iPhones On Our Network
By 9.27.11
Right now, U.S. cellphone users can only choose between AT&T and Verizon Wireless if they want to use the iPhone without jailbreaking it to use on another provider’s network. And even though T-Mobile may eventually get the iPhone if AT&T can convince the courts and regulators to let its purchase of T-Mobile USA go through, a number of customers aren’t waiting. [More]
EECB To T-Mobile Accomplishes What Hours Spent Talking To Customer Service Couldn't
By 9.23.11
Consumerist reader Rebecca had an issue with T-Mobile. A sales rep for the company had told her she could save around $14/month on her wireless bill by switching to a different rate plan. But when she received her next statement, Rebecca found that her bill had actually increased by more than $16. A quick call to T-Mobile customer service should be able to correct this — oh wait, no it won’t. [More]
AT&T Seeking "Prompt Trial" In T-Mobile Case
By 9.22.11
Yesterday was the first hearing in the Justice Department’s lawsuit to block AT&T’s purchase of T-Mobile USA. And even though the judge had reportedly told both parties to be prepared to discuss settlement at yesterday’s first hearing in the matter, it looks like no such terms were discussed, as AT&T is hoping to bring the case to trial sooner than later. [More]
T-Mobile Keeps Charging My Debit Card Even After I Close Account
By 9.21.11
Consumerist reader Jennifer tried to quit T-Mobile, but the company just won’t quit taking money out of her checking account. [More]
